We may have found it! An apartment in the Belgrano "R" barrio.
We have put an offer on an apartment, which is to be formalised, both on paper & with a hefty deposit this week of 30% of the total offered purchase price ... in USD$ CASH!! Yes, this transaction will happen inside a bank. More on this next week.
From the brief, here's what we've managed to find in this 1 property;
- an apartment (3rd floor)
- a terrace
- security car-parking space (there's 2 carspaces issued with this apartment)
- 3 bedrooms (PLUS a small study)
- 2 full bathrooms (that's for all you guests!) + a spare loo
- a real kitchen, with enough cupboards, & has gas cooking appliances
- a laundry area within the apartment
- a definite dining area (open plan living/dining)
- an 'ample' living area (to fit the large scale old furniture we have)
Bonus additionals;
- a low-rise building (has 9 floors total)
- 24 hour security
- a large kitchen
- a storage room on a communal floor
PLUS;
- overlooks the large garden, property of the groundfloor apartment, which has 2 mature trees, at our balcony height :)
- security grills already in place on bedroom windows
- a 2nd 'service lift' that accesses the kitchen door directly from the garage
- well-built structure, solidly made in the 1980's = good audio insulation!
- top condition parquetry floors in 10" pieces, honey-toned, herringbone pattern
The blow-out was this part: target budget is USD$300,000 but we did not do too badly at all these things for an extra USD$50,000.
Basically, from what we saw available, it became apparent that our brief was unlikely in a 2 bedroom (+ study) property which is where our target budget was set, for our desired areas. If we wanted all these things for the lower pricetag, then we'd have to move further out, a fair way further out.
Generally, I think it's been a great find!
And there's 2 other local points in it's favour I'm told - there's a very famous home-made pasta shop nearby & a branch of the famous Argentinean icecream parlour chain, Freddo around the corner!
Monday, 25 April 2011
Sunday, 24 April 2011
Easter in BA
Not very commercial at all. None of those over-the-top cheapo decorations in the supermarkets. No oversized Easter Bunny cutouts in the shopping mall. No Easter cards.
BUT don't despair. There ARE CHOCOLATE EASTER BUNNIES!!! ("For the children" I am told.) There are also medium & small sized chocolate eggs also, for 'token gifts'. These are made in dark chocolate only & decorated with some icing flowers & cake-icing style decorations in icing colours, each egg individually-wrapped in clear cellophane. They rattle, so we have yet to discover what type of sweets are enclosed?
These dark chocolate eggs appeared only on Holy Thursday at the bakery, not earlier.
We heard lots of church bells this morning too (Easter Sunday) ringing out across the neighbourhood, a lovely sound on such a still morning :)
HAPPY EASTER!
BUT don't despair. There ARE CHOCOLATE EASTER BUNNIES!!! ("For the children" I am told.) There are also medium & small sized chocolate eggs also, for 'token gifts'. These are made in dark chocolate only & decorated with some icing flowers & cake-icing style decorations in icing colours, each egg individually-wrapped in clear cellophane. They rattle, so we have yet to discover what type of sweets are enclosed?
These dark chocolate eggs appeared only on Holy Thursday at the bakery, not earlier.
We heard lots of church bells this morning too (Easter Sunday) ringing out across the neighbourhood, a lovely sound on such a still morning :)
HAPPY EASTER!
Sunday, 17 April 2011
A natural 'wonder?'
It's the darndest thing!
It was no surprise to discover there are mosquitos here in Argentina. Mosquitos are almost everywhere, are they not? BUT the alarming difference here is that the Argentine mosquitos are mute. MUTE!! Honestly!!!
That puts us at a helluva disadvantage ...
It was no surprise to discover there are mosquitos here in Argentina. Mosquitos are almost everywhere, are they not? BUT the alarming difference here is that the Argentine mosquitos are mute. MUTE!! Honestly!!!
That puts us at a helluva disadvantage ...
Sunday, 3 April 2011
Our 1st trip 'off the island'
This week we went across the river to Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay.
It was only a short trip, staying overnight, midweek. The purpose of this trip will become evident as the months advance but it concerned banking.
This was the 1st time we have left Buenos Aires since we arrived. That's 4+1/2 months for me & over 3 months for husband. It was a tad dizzying I must admit.
The BIG thrill was that we travelled as LOCALS!! Our Argentinian status means we are members of MercoSur which includes the privilege of crossing borders within the continent of South America without a passport, using only our id cards (known as DNI). Similar system to EU zone. And it worked! Plus we can still purchase Duty Free goods on the return ferryride. Great heh? Well, it's pretty limited Duty Free range but husband managed to spy the essential Underberg elixir at an affordable price which made it worthwhile.
It was actually different over there! Different to Argentina I mean. We were there 5 years ago on our big trip but didn't stop in Montevideo. The Rio Plata is even blue on that side of the river! The entire city is built - as usual - facing the river. (Buenos Aires is not, it's built with it's 'back' to the brown river.)
It was refreshing to be in a less pressured environment, it's definitely more laid-back & you can see it in the faces of the people. Nobody's in a hurry. At all. To our 'still not fully trained eyes' it seemed there was less street crime presence also. We saw people walking on the streets, relaxed, wearing jewelery eg. No taxi driver would accept our ARG Pesos either, which legally they are able, telling us they're concerned about counterfeit notes from Argentina & they are just simple Uruguayans who cannot identify a counterfeit because they do not have this industry in Uruguay(!)
After our appointment, we found the recommended restaurant a short walk away within the old city barrio. It was in a touristy pedestrian-only area, nearby the port full of portrait artists, etc. so I was dubious upon approach but once inside I relaxed when I saw all the local business people being seated. The high-turnover outdoor seating area was where the foreign tourists were concentrated. We had a very tasty, relaxed 'proper' lunch with a nice, inexpensive bottle of Uruguayan Pinot Noir (U$22-2002) before wandering leisurely back to the hotel via the riverside esplanade walkway. Husband remarked that the old city of Montevideo had the same ambiance & state of disrepair as Fremantle had prior to the redevelopment that occurred there in preparation for the America's Cup. If any of you readers are looking for a (secure) longterm property investment, you can snap up whole blocks of ornate, rundown buildings in this prime location if you care for a super bargain!!
I had some emails to answer, so used the wifi there in the guest lounge area while husband had the obligatory siesta nap on 1 of the comfy lounges nearby until we left for the return ferry checkin. Though we were quite tired upon returning home, it was certainly a worthwhile tiny break from our usual surroundings.
It is our intention to travel on short trips more often in future.
It was only a short trip, staying overnight, midweek. The purpose of this trip will become evident as the months advance but it concerned banking.
This was the 1st time we have left Buenos Aires since we arrived. That's 4+1/2 months for me & over 3 months for husband. It was a tad dizzying I must admit.
The BIG thrill was that we travelled as LOCALS!! Our Argentinian status means we are members of MercoSur which includes the privilege of crossing borders within the continent of South America without a passport, using only our id cards (known as DNI). Similar system to EU zone. And it worked! Plus we can still purchase Duty Free goods on the return ferryride. Great heh? Well, it's pretty limited Duty Free range but husband managed to spy the essential Underberg elixir at an affordable price which made it worthwhile.
It was actually different over there! Different to Argentina I mean. We were there 5 years ago on our big trip but didn't stop in Montevideo. The Rio Plata is even blue on that side of the river! The entire city is built - as usual - facing the river. (Buenos Aires is not, it's built with it's 'back' to the brown river.)
It was refreshing to be in a less pressured environment, it's definitely more laid-back & you can see it in the faces of the people. Nobody's in a hurry. At all. To our 'still not fully trained eyes' it seemed there was less street crime presence also. We saw people walking on the streets, relaxed, wearing jewelery eg. No taxi driver would accept our ARG Pesos either, which legally they are able, telling us they're concerned about counterfeit notes from Argentina & they are just simple Uruguayans who cannot identify a counterfeit because they do not have this industry in Uruguay(!)
After our appointment, we found the recommended restaurant a short walk away within the old city barrio. It was in a touristy pedestrian-only area, nearby the port full of portrait artists, etc. so I was dubious upon approach but once inside I relaxed when I saw all the local business people being seated. The high-turnover outdoor seating area was where the foreign tourists were concentrated. We had a very tasty, relaxed 'proper' lunch with a nice, inexpensive bottle of Uruguayan Pinot Noir (U$22-2002) before wandering leisurely back to the hotel via the riverside esplanade walkway. Husband remarked that the old city of Montevideo had the same ambiance & state of disrepair as Fremantle had prior to the redevelopment that occurred there in preparation for the America's Cup. If any of you readers are looking for a (secure) longterm property investment, you can snap up whole blocks of ornate, rundown buildings in this prime location if you care for a super bargain!!
I had some emails to answer, so used the wifi there in the guest lounge area while husband had the obligatory siesta nap on 1 of the comfy lounges nearby until we left for the return ferry checkin. Though we were quite tired upon returning home, it was certainly a worthwhile tiny break from our usual surroundings.
It is our intention to travel on short trips more often in future.
The ' home brief '
As you can imagine, this has been a matter of much debate!!
We have settled on this;
- definitely an apartment (husband does not want responsibility for gardening beyond balcony potted herbs & the mandatory gardenia plant);
- must have either a balcony &/or a terrace
- must have a security car-parking space for 1 car
- we need 3 'bedrooms' (1 as a study where husband's family global financial management activities can be contained!)
- we need 2 full bathrooms (that's for all you guests!)
- we need a real kitchen, with enough cupboards, preferably gas cooking appliances
- we need a laundry within the apartment (many buildings have just a communal laundry)
- we need a definite dining area (open plan living/dining or dining room)
- we need an 'ample' living area (to fit the large scale old furniture we have)
- target budget is USD$300,000
Bonus additionals;
- a low-rise building
- 24 hour security
- a kitchen with enough space for a small breakfast table?
- any extra storage space
- an inner balcony/courtyard space
- any facilities, especially a pool!
The trick is to find this property in our chosen area, for somewhere near our targeted budget! Now, that doesn't seem so difficult, does it?? Not even asking for a view! Well, there's not much of what we'd consider a view around here anyway, so we're not fussed.
We know that there will be limited properties that meet this brief for this budget in Hollywood, where there's a 20% inflated value for the trendy aspect at this time. In fact, it's unusual to find a 3 bedroom apartment in any of the new developments in Hollywood at all, many built specifically for the 1 bedroom yuppie crowd & for the high-yield rentals market to expat visitors (yep! that's us right now!)
So we're not holding out much hope for Hollywood. The developments in Hollywood tend to divide into 2 groups - those with car-parking spaces/garages & those with 'facilities'(small pool &/or a rooftop communal terrace entertaining space &/or a small gym). It is rare to find a block with all these amenities in Hollywood.
Colegiales has almost no 3 bedroom apartments at all we're told :(
Belgrano 'R' is the most promising prospect, however we've been told to expect to have to do some renovations before moving in. Most of those buildings have not been renovated since they were built, now coming up 20-24 years & need some work done. They were well built but there's a lot of 'brass fittings' a la mode at that time. Plus the average age of the well-heeled owners from that decade meant there's a dominance of wallpaper too. Thankfully we're assured that renovation costs here are very affordable & top value. Phew!
We have settled on this;
- definitely an apartment (husband does not want responsibility for gardening beyond balcony potted herbs & the mandatory gardenia plant);
- must have either a balcony &/or a terrace
- must have a security car-parking space for 1 car
- we need 3 'bedrooms' (1 as a study where husband's family global financial management activities can be contained!)
- we need 2 full bathrooms (that's for all you guests!)
- we need a real kitchen, with enough cupboards, preferably gas cooking appliances
- we need a laundry within the apartment (many buildings have just a communal laundry)
- we need a definite dining area (open plan living/dining or dining room)
- we need an 'ample' living area (to fit the large scale old furniture we have)
- target budget is USD$300,000
Bonus additionals;
- a low-rise building
- 24 hour security
- a kitchen with enough space for a small breakfast table?
- any extra storage space
- an inner balcony/courtyard space
- any facilities, especially a pool!
The trick is to find this property in our chosen area, for somewhere near our targeted budget! Now, that doesn't seem so difficult, does it?? Not even asking for a view! Well, there's not much of what we'd consider a view around here anyway, so we're not fussed.
We know that there will be limited properties that meet this brief for this budget in Hollywood, where there's a 20% inflated value for the trendy aspect at this time. In fact, it's unusual to find a 3 bedroom apartment in any of the new developments in Hollywood at all, many built specifically for the 1 bedroom yuppie crowd & for the high-yield rentals market to expat visitors (yep! that's us right now!)
So we're not holding out much hope for Hollywood. The developments in Hollywood tend to divide into 2 groups - those with car-parking spaces/garages & those with 'facilities'(small pool &/or a rooftop communal terrace entertaining space &/or a small gym). It is rare to find a block with all these amenities in Hollywood.
Colegiales has almost no 3 bedroom apartments at all we're told :(
Belgrano 'R' is the most promising prospect, however we've been told to expect to have to do some renovations before moving in. Most of those buildings have not been renovated since they were built, now coming up 20-24 years & need some work done. They were well built but there's a lot of 'brass fittings' a la mode at that time. Plus the average age of the well-heeled owners from that decade meant there's a dominance of wallpaper too. Thankfully we're assured that renovation costs here are very affordable & top value. Phew!
The home hunt begins!
Now that we've established the area(s) we feel we'd want to live in, the thoughts of 'what' to live in follow. There are 3 areas we've identified as suitable, all joined. They are Colegiales, Palermo Hollywood & Belgrano 'R'. Colegiales is the central 'barrio'(suburb) of these.
Colegiales is a small suburb, almost entirely residential, mainly filled with houses. Seems like an enclave that's been overlooked by the developers though there are some high-design renovations amongst the houses, some which appear to be small apartment blocks designed to integrate into the low-rise surroundings sympathetically. Most the streets are cobblestoned & it's a lot like a village within the city. It's not famous for anything at all. There's an outdoor farmer's market there on saturdays.
Palermo Hollywood is the section of the very large suburb of Palermo where we have been staying since we arrived here. It's where many of the production industry facilities are located, hence the name. Hollywood adjoins Colegiales. It's an area where there is a balance of residential & commercial activities. Many of the charming ph houses remain in original condition, others are converted into bars & restaurants for the local yuppie patrons. Hollywood is best known for modern sliver apartment developments in recent times. It is virtually 1 big construction site with building in progress on every block.
Belgrano is the 'established' residential suburb & borders Colegiales on the far side from the city centre. The subsection known as 'Belgrano R' is purely residential & is in the southern most section of the suburb, ie. farthest from the river. This is where the blocks were larger when land was subdivided & so some of the larger private villas are found there. Many English & German migrants settled there, building free-standing homes with substantial gardens.
In the last economically bouyant period here (late 1980's-late 1990's)many of these large properties were sold, torn down, & replaced with large, luxury apartment blocks, the style with 1 apartment per floor & miles of marble flooring. Very solid.
Colegiales is a small suburb, almost entirely residential, mainly filled with houses. Seems like an enclave that's been overlooked by the developers though there are some high-design renovations amongst the houses, some which appear to be small apartment blocks designed to integrate into the low-rise surroundings sympathetically. Most the streets are cobblestoned & it's a lot like a village within the city. It's not famous for anything at all. There's an outdoor farmer's market there on saturdays.
Palermo Hollywood is the section of the very large suburb of Palermo where we have been staying since we arrived here. It's where many of the production industry facilities are located, hence the name. Hollywood adjoins Colegiales. It's an area where there is a balance of residential & commercial activities. Many of the charming ph houses remain in original condition, others are converted into bars & restaurants for the local yuppie patrons. Hollywood is best known for modern sliver apartment developments in recent times. It is virtually 1 big construction site with building in progress on every block.
Belgrano is the 'established' residential suburb & borders Colegiales on the far side from the city centre. The subsection known as 'Belgrano R' is purely residential & is in the southern most section of the suburb, ie. farthest from the river. This is where the blocks were larger when land was subdivided & so some of the larger private villas are found there. Many English & German migrants settled there, building free-standing homes with substantial gardens.
In the last economically bouyant period here (late 1980's-late 1990's)many of these large properties were sold, torn down, & replaced with large, luxury apartment blocks, the style with 1 apartment per floor & miles of marble flooring. Very solid.
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